Our Happy Place: Heated Rivalry Rx

Live from Stage 4 | Episode # 015| 2/10/2026 | Our Happy Place

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Hosts

Victoria Goldberg is a metastatic breast cancer advocate and host and executive producer of “Live from Stage: MBC News For Us, by Us" podcast. Originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, she immigrated to the United States at age 18. Originally diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in 2004, Victoria received a metastatic diagnosis in 2014 when the cancer spread to her liver and bones. After treatment side effects forced her to leave her career in technology management, she found new purpose through advocacy, founding TalkMets, SHARE's dedicated helpline for metastatic breast cancer patients, A native Russian speaker, Victoria offers personal insights into cultural differences, language, and representation. When she's not podcasting, you might find her rewatching her favorite shows (sometimes hundreds of times) or convincing everyone she knows to watch "Heated Rivalry."

Jill N. Tirabassi, MD, MPH, is living with Metastatic Breast Cancer. She is a accomplished physician specializing in preventive medicine, public health, and sports medicine, with a distinguished background as a Cornell University college athlete in women's soccer. During her undergraduate years at Cornell, where she earned a BS in Nutritional Sciences (magna cum laude, 2008), Tirabassi played as a defender/midfielder on the women's soccer team from 2005 to 2007. As a senior in 2007, she appeared in every game, starting 15 contests, and closed out her collegiate career in the season finale against Columbia.

Following her athletic tenure, Tirabassi pursued medicine, earning her MD from SUNY Upstate Medical University in 2012. She completed residency in Family Medicine at the University of Colorado (2015), a Sports Medicine Fellowship at South Bend Notre Dame Primary Care (2016), residency in Preventive Medicine and Public Health at University of Massachusetts Medical School (2020), and an MPH from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (2020) .

Her professional work bridges her athletic past and medical expertise, including research on high school sports-related injuries published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine (2016) . Jill is active in professional organizations like the American College of Preventive Medicine and has delivered presentations on lifestyle medicine, physical activity, nutrition, and ultraprocessed foods

Summary

In this special episode of "Live from Stage 4," hosts Victoria Goldberg and Jill Tirabassi take a delightful detour from their usual metastatic breast cancer discussions to explore their shared obsession with HBO Max's "Heated Rivalry"—a hockey romance that has become their perfect escape.

Why This Show Matters

The hosts open by acknowledging how unexpected it is for an MBC podcast to dedicate an entire episode to a TV show, but they make a compelling case for why everyone needs sources of joy and serotonin—especially when living with serious illness. As Victoria puts it, this show has become "the perfect pill" for additional happiness during difficult times.

Favorite Episodes and Scenes

Jill and Victoria dive into their favorite moments from the series, with both agreeing that Episode 5 stands out as the most emotionally powerful. They discuss:

• The devastating tunnel scene where Ilya calls Shane from Russia after his father's death and delivers a heartbreaking Russian monologue

• The Scott Hunter coming-out scene and his surprisingly perceptive observations about the main characters

• The rooftop scene in Episode 1 that ends in heartbreak

• The cottage episode that serves as "icing on the cake"

Cultural Perspectives and Personal Connections

Victoria brings a deeply personal perspective as a native Russian speaker, sharing:

• The significance of hearing "I love you" spoken in Russian for the first time through the show

• The cultural context of being LGBTQ+ in Russia, where it was (and remains) criminally punishable

• Her own experience immigrating to the US at 18 and never hearing those words in her native language

• The importance of seeing Russian characters portrayed as romantic heroes rather than the typical gangster stereotypes

Sports, Teams, and Community

The conversation draws fascinating parallels between elite athletes and the MBC community:

• How team sports require bonding and becoming like family in short periods

• Jill's experience as a college soccer player and the dynamics of team cohesion

• The challenges LGBTQ+ athletes face in professional sports, particularly in men's athletics

• How the MBC community bonds quickly over shared experiences, creating deep friendships across age differences

The Sochi Olympics Connection

Victoria shares a poignant personal story: she was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer during the week of the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the same Olympics featured in the show. While critically ill and barely able to get out of bed, watching the Olympics—particularly her close friend's daughter skating for the Israeli team—provided comfort during one of the darkest times in her life.

Production and Performance

The hosts discuss:

• The show's minimal budget and unknown cast members who have now become overnight sensations

• Connor Jessup's impressive work learning Russian for the role

• The physical training required for the hockey scenes

• Filming locations in Hamilton, Ontario

• Comparisons to Heath Ledger's career trajectory and hopes for the actors' wellbeing

Romance, Realism, and Representation

Victoria and Jill debate whether the decade-long yearning portrayed in the show is realistic, noting that their male family members found it less believable. They discuss:

• The two-year texting montage in Episode 2 showing Ilya's persistent attempts to reconnect

• The cottage scene where both characters insist they weren't in love "all that time"

• Comparisons to "Sex and the City" and theories about gay men writing straight women's stories (and vice versa)

• The show's portrayal of communication challenges, cultural differences, and neurodivergence

The Obsession is Real

Both hosts confess to rewatching the series multiple times, going down Instagram rabbit holes, and planning to read all the books in the series. Jill even reveals plans for a "Heated Rivalry" location tour in Hamilton, Ontario—just a two-hour drive from Buffalo.

Why This Matters for the MBC Community

The episode concludes with Victoria's heartfelt wish: she wants people in the MBC community to have "Heated Rivalry" with them during infusions, to have something wonderful to think about besides their disease. In a time that's been "so grim" for many reasons—weather, politics, and illness—this show offers a much-needed distraction and source of joy.

As Victoria declares with characteristic passion: if you're not sensitive enough to appreciate this storytelling, "you're dead to me."

Note: This episode contains extensive spoilers for all episodes of "Heated Rivalry" currently streaming on HBO Max.